A Tale of Two Browser Blogs
Connecting state and local government leaders
Earlier this week I was all prepared to post the following, but figured I should give it time, sleep on it, and come back to this later.
Good thing.
These thoughts were hatched Tuesday, May 16:
"I did something important last week. I finally downloaded the latest Internet Explorer 7 beta, set it up, and promptly uninstalled Firefox. Hasta la vista, Firefox.
Let the comments fly (see the link below to post your own browser rant), but I've long said that once tabbed browsing was integrated into a stable version of IE 7, Firefox would cease to exist in my life. Not that I haven't (mostly) enjoyed Firefox. And I appreciate the fact that Mozilla helped Microsoft realize a little browser development wouldn't hurt. But I have my reasons."
And earlier this week it was true. IE 7 was terrific'easy to configure and navigate. I was all over the Internet in multiple tabbed windows. But that was then.
It seems I have Early Adopter-itis. Today, my shiny new IE 7 beta refused to launch. The window opened, the gears started grinding and then it disappeared. Would not start. Over and over again. No error message--nothing.
I couldn't launch Firefox because it was, ahem, gone. Guess my threshold for a 'stable version of IE 7' was too low. (Disclaimer: I have colleagues who don't have my problems, but hey, I'm not working on their PCs all day.)
So I uninstalled IE 7, then reinstalled it. Nada. Desperate, I tried finesse. I clicked my mouse button a little gentler, whispered to my PC and pleaded--time and time again--for IE 7 to launch just long enough for me to download the Firefox .EXE file.
It did. I did. And now I'm rewriting that blog entry I started.
Still, with some trepidation, I say that as soon as I figure this IE 7 thing out (or when a final version ships), it will probably be my only browser. Here's why:
- I run some Web-based applications and use sites that simply run better in IE [Editor's note: When it stays open.]. So even when I was running Firefox, I was also running IE 6.
- I've grown weary of opening or closing Firefox and wondering what happened. Sometimes the operation takes 15 or 20 seconds. I end up launching Firefox twice because I figure I mis-clicked.
- The latest version of Firefox is inexplicably unreliable. It crashes several times a day. [Editor's note: This seemed a lot more important before IE 7 crashed eight times in 50 minutes this morning.]
- Like others, I love tabbed browsing, and IE 7's is just fine with me. I especially like the Quick Tab view that shows all my open Web pages on one screen [See editor's note above re: when it stays open.].
- Vulnerabilities are vulnerabilities. Both browsers have them. IE may have more, but I patch religiously and follow good, basic computing practices. I haven't felt the brunt of an IE flaw in at least three years.
Mozilla's IE Tab add-on
Posted by Brad Grimes
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